Winona Ryder

AT 25, WINONA RYDER HAS ALREADY BECOME A classic—luminous proof that beauty, like history, repeats itself. "She looks almost Pre-Raphaelite, from a long time ago," says one admirer, director Joel Schumacher. "But at the same time, she is contemporary." What century eludes her then? How about the 41st? "I can't really go for the Barbarella look," says the actress, who is a slender 5'4" but hardly a lightweight. "She's very intelligent and she's got a certain passion," says Arthur Miller, whose hysterical teen Ryder brought to life in last year's film version of his play The Crucible. "When you uncork that, you get something special." Danny DeVito noticed the same something special when he coproduced her 1994 cult film. Reality Bites. "Winona's delicate, yet with a strong inner spirit," he says. "She's got that dual thing happening."